Living With Summons
by InuAO321
Summary: After Kyuubi's attack, and the death of one of the most revered ninjas in Konoha, Jiraiya finds himself in a situation he can't get himself out of- parenting. But what happens when little Naruto's curiosity proves difficult to contain?
1. Chapter 1

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Jiraiya stared in shock at his former teacher. "You have got to be kidding me! I mean, I know I agreed to be the brat's godfather but what the hell do I know about raising a kid?!' His voice raised a half octave as he tried to image him, the great Gama Sennin, raising a small child. Sandaime shook his head and peered over his desk. "It's the only choice we've got at this point. And I'm not saying it's definite, it's only until we can find another guardian."

Jiraiya leaned back into the chair that he had collapsed into after hearing his sensei tell him "You're going to be a father." Briefly closing his eyes, the toad summoner pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing."Do you have any idea of what this is going to do to my research," he weakly asked the ceiling.

Sandaime glanced in the direction of a certain hidden drawer his desk and flinched mentally before replying. "Has your series been so disastrous that you can't afford to take a hiatus from writing?"

Jiraiya hauled his head forward to level a slight glare at the older man. "As if you didn't know", the author sniffed, "I wonder how Tsunade would take the news that her beloved Sarutobi-sensei was a closet pervert?"

Sarutobi felt a slight twinge in his eye as Jiraiya mentioned this, and he watched as a smirk formed on the younger nin's face. "Probably as well as she might if I were to inform her about how a bulk of your research is done by peeking on her."

Instantly the smirk was replaced with an intense expression of horror. "You wouldn't."

It was Sarutobi's turn to smile. "I would. Now, what do you say about taking in a little kid?"

"When can I take him?" Jiraiya sat upright, plastering an ingratiating smile on his face. Sarutobi smiled slightly before glancing down at the file in front of him.

"The medics want to keep him overnight to make sure he's healthy, but you can pick him up tomorrow afternoon if you want. Gives you time to get an apartment and supplies."

Jiraiya scowled at the though of having to actually stay in one place for an undetermined amount of time but nodded. "When can I see the kid?" He asked, raking one large hand through his mane of hair and letting out a sigh.

Sarutobi stood up, flipping the file of one Uzumaki Naruto closed. "Right now actually. I was planning to visit him myself. You can check the seal as well; though I'm sure Minato-kun left no room for error."

Jiraiya nodded, and followed Sarutobi out of the office. As they walked to the hospital, he stepped in unison with the Sandaime. Leaning his head close, he hissed at the Hokage. "Seriously, you're not planning on ratting me out to Tsunade, are you?"

Sarutobi chuckled. "It all depends on how well you take care of Naruto."

Jiraiya pouted as he said this, but continued on. "Please tell me, Sandaime-sama. This brat won't be like a mini-kitsune, will he? I don't think I'll be able to control a little trickster."

Sarutobi shrugged. "It depends. Raise him well, and he probably won't. Neglect him, and I can assure you he will do everything he can to get himself into mischief." He looked at Jiraiya with a playful glint in his eyes. "Who knows, maybe karma will come back to haunt you. You were quite the troublemaker in your younger days. I think it'd do you good to take care of a brat. It'd show you how much trouble you were."

Jiraiya sighed and hoped for the best as he pushed open the hospital door, entering a white room full of patients and medics. After quietly inquiring as to the whereabouts of Naruto, both men weaved easily through the hordes of people, taking the elevator to the third floor and quietly entering a small private room. The attending medics looked startled but quickly relaxed upon seeing who had entered. Leaving his sensei to confer quietly, Jiraiya walked over to the small bassinet that stood in the middle of the room and looked down.

Two innocent blue eyes gazed sleepily back up at him, covered somewhat by tufts of spiky blonde hair. Jiraiya felt his lips twitching as a small hand waved in the air. He gently offered one large finger to the grasping fingers and chuckled softly as small chubby digits latched on with a grip of iron. "Strong as Tsunade, ne?" He murmured softly. The baby merely gurgled happily, six whisker-like lines distorting as their owner grinned toothlessly.

The small child released his grip, as he stretched his arms, letting out a contented yawn. He squinted through half-opened azure eyes, and giggled as Jiraiya softly tickled his bare stomach. Jiraiya's smile faded, however, as he traced the seal mark around the baby's navel. To imagine that such an innocent little thing could contain something as terrifying as the Kyuubi. Jiraiya shook his head, clearing the thought from his mind. He stroked the boys head before standing straight and motioning to the sleeping boy. "I think he likes me."

Sarutobi gazed into the crib. "I think so, too."

Both men looked at the sleeping infant, smiling quietly. They stayed that way for a few more minutes before someone knocked on the door before sliding it open to reveal a tired looking ANBU with a spiky silver hair and a wolf mask shoved to one side. "Sandaime-sama, the council needs to see you," Kakashi said, bowing awkwardly as he attempted to keep various wounds from bleeding.

Sandaime let out a sigh and nodded. "I'll leave now." When Kakashi made as if to follow the old Hokage, the man shook his head. "Stay here with Jiraiya and get those wounds looked at." Kakashi made as if to protest but Jiraiya walked over and latched a hand on the teen's unhurt shoulder. "C'mere and let's take a look at that shoulder."

Kakashi sat down on the unoccupied bed in the hospital room and winced as Jiraiya looked over his wounds. He motioned for a medic to get some bandages, and a nearby nurse obeyed. When she returned, Jiraiya unraveled the cloth and began to treat Kakashi's wounds. "So, I heard you're going to be a father soon?"

Jiraiya met Kakashi's mischievously gleaming eye, and sighed. "You've heard correctly." He waved his hand toward the occupied bassinet. "He's the little one."

The ANBU member stood, after Jiraiya finished dressing his injuries, and closed his eye in pleasure. "He's almost an exact bunshin of his father. Just a little younger."

"You could say that..." Jiraiya smiled slightly, watching as the blonde baby shifted slightly in his sleep. Kakashi chuckled slightly before glancing at the chart that hung from the end of the bassinet. "...You named him fishcake?"

Jiraiya scowled, absently offering his finger to the sleeping Naruto again, only for it to grabbed and cuddled. "One, I didn't name him. Kind of. Two, I think Minato was going for the maelstrom interpretation."

Kakashi smiled. "Na, I think Sensei was going for fishcakes, he did love ramen." Kakashi slid his ANBU mask back on to cover his identity. "I think I should head back to the battlefield. There are still a lot of injured nin out there that could be saved, and I'm not that badly hurt. I'd like to help as many as possible." He thanked Jiraiya for tending to his injuries, and disappeared in a poof of smoke, leaving the older nin to his thoughts.

Jiraiya grinned before looking down at his trapped finger. He gently tugged it loose and watched apprehensively as Naruto frowned in his sleep before relaxing. "I gotta get some shut-eye...See ya gaki." Jiraiya muttered turning somewhat reluctantly from the bassinet and nodding to the medics on duty.

Yawning, Jiraiya headed to the hotel where he was staying. He sighed thinking about all the preparations he would need for Naruto. Probably a small bassinet, a bottle... He paused. What more did a baby need? He rubbed his eyes as he waited for the hotel concierge to give him his hotel room key. Taking the key from the concierge, he thanked the man and headed up to his room. When he finally got into the room, he promptly flopped down onto the newly-made bed, exhausted from all the excitement of the day. A new baby... just the thought made his hair stand on end. Even though he had to admit Naruto was adorable, he couldn't picture himself as a fatherly figure.

* * *

"Jiraiya you idiot! A baby needs more than a bottle and a bed! He needs clothes, diapers, soap and shampoo, formula unless you happen to have mammary glands!" Tsunade glared at her cowering teammate, ignoring the fact that they were in a public market square. The blonde healer had come to assist Konoha's overtaxed medics in the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack. When her teammate showed up, looking as if he'd gotten three hours of sleep and asking what stuff he would need for a baby she had nearly spewed her morning sake over poor Shizune.

Shizune had merely sighed and wandered off, trying to avoid the fiery angry of her sensei as she scolded Jiraiya, leaving him to the full power of Tsunade's agitation.

"Heheh... well, you know I'm not really good with choosing these 'baby supplies'." Jiraiya spoke trying to mask his fear of the kunoichi that stood before him.

Her amber eyes burned holes into his head as he tried to make excuses for his ignorance. "Well you see-"

Tsunade shook her head, repressing the urge to punch him into the nearest shopping stall. She grabbed his arm, her grip strong as iron, and dragged him into a nearby store. "I'll help you out, then, baka." She said through gritted teeth. "Then, since I'm saving your ass, you can treat me to some sake later."

Sighing, Jiraiya allowed himself to be dragged around the marketplace, constantly glancing inside the depths of his toad-wallet to assure himself he wasn't completely broke yet.

A few hours later Tsunade and her former teammate were seated at a local bar, having just arranged to have most of the baby supplies delivered to Jiraiya's hotel room.

"I don't know where I'm going put all of that stuff," the perverted writer lamented, sipping at his sake saucer.

Tsunade snorted, downing her own sake inelegantly. "I'm amazed that Minato actually made you the brat's godfather- who in their right minds would trust you with a kid? You'd use the poor child as a babe magnet."

Jiraiya looked somewhat nervous and yet thoughtful, pouring another drink for the both of them. "Not until the kid was a toddler...he could start crying in the middle of my resear-" He never got a chance to finish his statement before Tsunade's fist collided with his skull, lifting him out of his seat and sent sprawling ungracefully across the bar's floor.

"Don't mention your so-called research in front of me again," Tsunade growled before glancing at the clock mounted above the bar's back wall. "Don't you have a baby to pick up?" She muttered, causing Jiraiya to pick himself up off the floor with a muttered curse. "

Shit, you're right!" Clutching at his aching head, Jiraiya staggered towards the door.

Tsunade sighed as she poured the last of the sake into her cup as Jiraiya left. He had only been gone for a few minutes when she realized something. That idiot hadn't left any money to pay for the three bottles of sake!

Jiraiya laughed as he distanced himself from the bar, feeling pleased, as he had been able to shirk the responsibility of paying for the sake. He knew he would hear about it from Tsunade later, but for right now, he was safe. Jiraiya entered the hospital and headed for Naruto's room, explaining to the receptionist at the front desk that he was here to pick up the kid.

When he peered into the crib, he saw Naruto lying contented with a small binky in his mouth. However, as soon as he saw Jiraiya, he opened his mouth in a wide, toothless smile, letting out a squeal of delight. Jiraiya smiled at the kid and picked him up, wrapping the baby comfortably in a small blanket decorated with baby animals playing with colorful balloons.

Moving quickly out of the small room, Jiraiya made his way through the still-crowded halls of the hospital, nodding respectfully to the harried medics and nurses and trying his best not to blush as the few females who weren't busy cooed and giggled in his direction as they spotted the bundle in his arms. Once out of the hospital, Jiraiya made his way quickly to Hokage Tower, meaning to check in with his former mentor before going to his hotel and starting the search for a place to live that didn't cost a thousand ryou a night. Balancing carefully on the ledge outside the large windows surrounding the Hokage's office, Jiraiya knocked gingerly and entered.

He found Sarutobi hunched over his desk, the pipe in his mouth expelling small curls of smoke. When the Hokage spotted Jiraiya, he leaned back in his chair, and offered a chair to the white-haired nin. The Sandaime smiled, motioning to the small bundle of cloth in Jiraiya's arms. "I see you've got Naruto. So, what can I do for you?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "I just thought I'd let you know that the kid is in my care, much to my dismay..."

Sarutobi chuckled, puffs of smoke swirling around his head, before disappearing out the now-opened window. "I'm assuming Tsunade helped you pick out the right supplies?" Jiraiya nodded, smiling as Naruto hiccupped. He pulled out his wallet and sighed. "I'm pretty much broke, now."

The Third frowned. "I'm sure I can find some way to reimburse you." Jiraiya nodded, and then stood up, claiming he needed to return to the hotel to see if the baby supplies had been delivered. He bid farewell to Sarutobi, and leaped out the window, clinging the baby close to him, so the child wouldn't be frightened.

* * *

"So the rent would be about six hundred and seventy five ryou a month? Thanks." Jiraiya scribbled down a brief address before nodding his thanks to the hotel's concierge service. Thanks to the man's knowledge of Konoha, Jiraiya now had three likely places that he could investigate. He headed towards the stairs, Naruto in one arm when he remembered something else. "Oh! Did the packages I order arrive?" The man nodded and Jiraiya groaned slightly. "Great...I hope I still have a bed."

He unlocked the door and entered, only to find a storage room of boxes of baby supplies, rather than the cozy-looking hotel room he had been in earlier. He cleared off a spot on his bed with his one free hand, and laid Naruto down, turning to face the mess of the room. He began unpacking; searching for the baby bassinet he had bought, so he could put Naruto to bed while he readied everything else.

When he found the box containing the crib, he pulled it out and set it up. When the bed was ready for an occupant, Jiraiya picked up Naruto, who had fallen into a deep sleep, and put him into the soft sea of blankets. Naruto yawned, slightly opening his blue eyes, before sighing contentedly and returning to his dreams. Jiraiya cleared off the rest of his bed and lay down, happy to be able to sleep. He could tell already; it was going to be a long several months.

* * *

_**Bold Italics: Inuluvr**_

**Bold: AnimeOtaku31821**

_**XD First co-written story for me, and it's been a great experience thus far! AO is really a great writer, and it's an honor for me to be writing with such an amazing author! **_

_**As for the story, we're going for a post-Kyuubi attack setting. Basically, Minato just passed away, and as you've read, Jiraiya's been left as the godfather! XD Let us know what you think of the story! **_

**Aw, your making me blush xD Anyway, since my fabulous co-writer mentioned the setting, I think I'll handle the technical, behind the scenes stuff.**

**We're writing this together, most of it through instant messaging. This chapter was literally co-written between the pair of us, but now we're going to start alternating who writes chapters. We're going to attempt to update regularly on Mondays, but between my pyschotic schedule and Inuluvr's spastic internet, we won't make any promises xD **


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2!**

* * *

"Get back here with my notes you gaki!"

A small boy of about six hurtled through the streets of a strange town, laughing all the way. Blonde spikes were blown back by the speed he was traveling; revealing blue eyes narrowed in concentration as their owner skidded around the corner. In his small fist, he clutched a scroll- the notes his chaser had mentioned.

Glancing around furtively, the child trotted down the street keeping a wary eye for his chaser. No sign of the white-haired pervert…yet. The boy smirked and stuffed the scroll in the sash he wore before straightening the rest of the clothes. He wore loose pants that gathered slightly at the ankle, dyed in a cool shade of beige; a small kunai pouch strapped to the right leg. On his feet was a pair of regular sandals. Covering his torso was a simple black t-shirt with a red spiral on the front. Over the shirt he wore a simple vest that was olive green in color with some red accents here and there in the reinforced stitching along the seams and trim. The ends of the vest draped over a sash that was wrapped snuggly around the boy's hips, neatly knotted on the right side. The sash was a burnt orange in color and supported a simple pouch that contained a few coins, a pretty pebble and other odds and ends.

Unknown to the boy, he was being observed from above. Black eyes narrowed while small crimson tattoos wrinkled. The large man watched as the boy started to trot back towards the main road before leaping from his hiding place on a random rooftop with a triumphant shout as his hand latched onto the ends of the sash the boy wore proudly.

"Ha! Caught you Naruto no gaki!" Naruto had frozen when he'd heard his guardian's shout before making a mad scramble for the roadway.

"Help, help, help! Here's a madman will murder me!" Naruto yelped, only for the stray alley cat to hear and the feline merely continued sniffing around for food.

"Knock it off Naruto, almost everyone around here knows I'm not about to kill my own godson. Even if he did run off with my latest research," Jiraiya glared down at the six year old who merely pouted and folded his arms, unhappy that his fun was over.

"You're no fun Jiraiya-jii-chan…" The boy mumbled before flashing his own glare up at the man. "But you promised to summon Gama-chan to play with me while you met with that senbon guy!"

Jiraiya scowled at the reminder- he'd be late for his meeting with "that senbon guy" because of Naruto's most recent prank. Letting out a sigh, the sennin drew a hand over his face. "Fine, fine…I'll summon Gama-chan when we get back to the inn."

Pleased with himself, Naruto nodded and held up his arms expectantly. Smiling, Jiraiya crouched down to lift the small boy easily, positioning him on top of his shoulders. "You ready Naruto?" The toad summoner asked. There was no verbal reply, but he felt two hands grasping two handfuls of white mane. Chuckling, Jiraiya leapt to land softly on a nearby rooftop. He paused briefly, making sure his grip on Naruto's small legs was secure before leaping to the next rooftop, wincing slightly as Naruto whooped with delight- why did small children have such shrill voices? He was pretty sure he hadn't been that loud….

A few minutes later, the pair landed safely on the ground before the entrance of the Western style hotel they were currently staying at. Naruto reluctantly released his hold on Jiraiya's hair as his guardian reached up and lowered him to the ground safely. With a slight pout the blonde followed Jiraiya into the hotel and up to their room.

Jiraiya glanced behind him to make sure Naruto was following before opening the door to his room, ushering the boy in before he entered. There was a small hallway and closet for storing packs and other supplies, blocking the large bed from view. "Why don't you go wait for me by the bed before I summon Gama-chan?" Jiraiya suggested casually, feeling a familiar chakra signature nearby.

Naruto shrugged and walked around the corner only to stop when he spotted a familiar senbon-chewing shinobi lounging on the bed casually. "Genma-san!" He shouted excitedly, pouncing on the bed once before landing on the older man's chest; grinning broadly as Genma's eyes bulged slightly from the added pressure on his chest.

"Oof! Hey Naruto…" Genma said weakly, glaring as a smirking Jiraiya poked his head around the corner to see a happily bouncing Naruto and a suffering tokubetsu jounin.

Jiraiya chuckled and removed the blonde toddler from Genma. The special jounin wheezed out "thanks" as he checked to make sure the overly eager child hadn't damaged his ribs.

While Genma was inspecting his ribcage, Jiraiya had placed Naruto down on the floor, crouching so that he was eye-to-eye with the boy. "I'm going to summon Gama-chan in minute- Now I want you to promise me that you'll stick to the hotel in your hide and seek, alright?"

Naruto nodded. "Got it Jiraiya-jii-chan." Jiraiya smiled and ruffled the blonde spikes before neatly biting his thumb and quietly summoning one of Gamabunta's retainers who happened to have a liking for kids. In a poof of smoke, a small orange toad with red diamond markings appeared, his blue sash holding a small dagger. Gama looked around, smiling as he spotted Naruto.

"Hey Naruto! How's it going?" Gama waved one webbed foreleg cheerfully while Naruto grinned, reminding his guardian vaguely of a fox before he coughed, earning the small toad's attention.

"So, wha'cha need me to do today Jiraiya-sama?" Gama asked, cocking his head to one side, one eye on Naruto who was shifting his weight from foot to foot; balancing on the balls of his bare feet easily.

"Oh, nothing much. I have a meeting with Genma," a thumb was jerked in Genma's direction, "so Naruto needs a buddy to play hide and seek with. He already knows to stick to the inn, so don't let him convince you otherwise." Jiraiya smiled easily, making a mental note to talk to Naruto about his movement habits- it could be a sign of Kyuubi's influencing the boy in more subtle ways.

Gama nodded and hopped alongside Naruto as the pair left. Jiraiya closed the door behind them with a slight wave before returning to the main room and grabbing a chair to sit in. Genma did the same and both settled down with serious expressions.

"So, you manage to get anymore information on that group, red dawn something or other?"

"Not really Jiraiya-sama, though I did find out its trying to recruit some high ranking nuke-nins…."

* * *

Jiraiya frowned as he sipped at his sake as he went over the few notes he'd gathered on the mysterious Akatsuki. All he knew so far is that it was a group, trying to recruit S-class nuke-nins like the infamous Hoshigaki Kisame, formerly of Kirigakure; or the infamous Akasuna no Sasori, the former puppet master of Sunagakure. A bead of sweat trickled down his nose to be wiped away absently.

Jiraiya's intense concentration was broken with a loud shriek of childish laughter in the key of Naruto minor, only to be broken off with a sudden thud against the room's door. Jiraiya scowled irritably as he stood up and opened the door to find a swirly eyed Naruto sprawled in the hallway, with a sighing Gama.

"Gaki," Jiraiya growled in a tone he rarely used. Naruto gulped nervously as he stood up. "I though we agreed that you'd be studying kanji tonight."

"Er…it was Gama-chan's fault! He hid in the bar where I couldn't go!" Naruto blurted, pointing at a surprised looking toad.

"Oi! I did no such thing! I hid in the potted plant BY the bar entrance. You could've gone there!" The amphibious babysitter retorted.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and latched on the ends of Naruto's sash, dragging the six year old back into the hotel room. "You can go Gama, thanks for watching the gaki for me."

"No problem, Jiraiya-sama; always happy to help," the toad grinned and waved goodbye to the slightly sulking Naruto who perked up enough to return the wave before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

Letting out a sigh, Jiraiya closed the door with his foot and deposited Naruto by his traveling pack. "I've got to keep working on something for the old geezer, so you grab one of my scrolls and look at the kanji. Tsunade'll have my head if you haven't learned something and she's visiting tomorrow."

Naruto brightened and he started rummaging about in Jiraiya's pack for a scroll to study. Casting one last glance over his shoulder Jiraiya spotted Naruto settling on the bed, a scroll already unrolling. "I'll be back in a bit gaki, I have to, uh, go gather some more research."

"For Sandaime-jiji or for your dirty novels?" Naruto muttered under his breath as the door clicked shut. Heaving a sigh, Naruto returned to the task of copying the numerous kanji.

Twenty minutes later, Naruto finished with the scroll, and started to roll it up carefully. "I wonder why there's that blank spo- Ow!" Naruto looked at the large papercut on his thumb and muttered a word that would've earned him boxed ears if any sensible adult had been in the room. Shaking his hand slightly as if that would alleviate the pain, Naruto muttered any adult word as the blood dripped into the blank spot. "Aw man, Jiraiya-jii-chan is going to _kil-_" A large cloud of smoke erupted and when it faded away, the room was clearly missing one blonde six year old jinchuuriki.

* * *

Jiraiya grinned drunkenly as he careened up the stairs. With the kind of research he'd been able to conduct, he could finish his next novel within the month. Fumbling with the key to the room Jiraiya stumbled inside. "Hey gaki, hows teh studyin' going," he slurred, kicking off his wooden geta.

Frowning at the lack of response, Jiraiya looked about the room. It took him a few minutes with his alcohol-loaded brain but when he realized that the room was empty except for him and a scroll. Squinting at the scroll and the faint splatter of blood, Jiraiya felt the blood drain from his face as the alcohol buzz left his system abruptly.

"Tsunade's going to _murder _me…."

* * *

**_Ahaha! You all have to admit it- AnimeOtaku has a great sense of humor, and a wonderful writing style! -heart- This was all written by her, and I have to say, nobody could have done a better job with it! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter as much as I did! And next chapter, we'll find out what happens to the poor little kitsune-like brat! -heart-_**

**Again, you're making me blush, lol. I would've posted this on-time, last night but the site was being a pain and wouldn't let me log on . Sorry for the delay...I'd say something about the chapter but for the last two nights I haven't gotten to bed till one or two in the morning so my brain is trying to shut down and restart...**

**Edit- . It's a sign of how frazzled I was feeling that I forgot to mention that I slipped in a Shakespeare quote- I wonder if anyone will/has catch/caught it...**


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto pouted as he stood up, brushing off his pants, and curiously examined his surroundings. Where was he…? He glanced around the clearing, considering what country he might be in. Having lived with Jiraiya all his life, he had visited a good number of places while Jiraiya gathered his "research." He had grown accustomed to keeping himself occupied by memorizing what kind of trees grew where, and where specific species of animals were most common.

He was in a forest similar to those in Konoha, tall trees towering over him and casting mottled shadows on the grassy ground below, only a few beams of light penetrating through the leaves above. But somehow, the young blonde knew he was no longer in the fire country. Something about the smell and sounds…

Naruto briskly sniffed the air, crisp with the smell of fresh green leaves, and musty with the smell of the earthy ground. He strained his ears, listening for any signs of life nearby. He knew Jiraiya had told him to act less like an animal—leave that to the Inuzuka clan, he had said. But his guardian was not here now to scold him, so Naruto relied more on his natural instincts.

Feeling adventurous, he began to wander around; maybe he'd find some ninjas, so he could ask his whereabouts. He wove through trees for a while, and when he found no one, he plopped down on a tree stump. It was then that he noticed he was being followed.

He had closed his eyes for a minute, listening to his growling stomach when he heard the snap of a twig. Startled, he leapt to his feet, whirling around to where his follower had stumbled. Nothing. Naruto narrowed his eyes and tried to sniff out his pursuer, but to no avail, as he was upwind.

Pretending to let his guard down again, Naruto reclaimed his seat on the stump, listening closely as the footsteps continued. The step was too light to be Jiraiya's, Naruto concluded, and as he listened more, he came to realize it wasn't even human. Four padded paws, but as to what animal it was-

Naruto yelped as something landed on his back, pushing him to the ground. Thrashing, Naruto grabbed his furry attacker and wrestled with it, before throwing it off to the side. Hastily, he scrambled to his feet and fumbled with his kunai pouch. He cursed as he couldn't unbutton the pouch, forgetting Jiraiya's warning that if he ever swore like that, he could be assured a sore bottom.

"You're a cutie!" Astonished, Naruto raised his head from his uncooperative pouch, his blue eyes scanning the forest for another human. That's when he laid his eyes on the small fox, perched neatly on a small stone opposite him. Confused, Naruto continued to look around for the anonymous voice.

The small fox narrowed its golden eyes and stood, uncurling its tail from around its paws. It picked its way over to Naruto and glowered up at him expectantly. "It's rude to ignore a female kit when she's talking to you." Naruto gasped.

"You can talk?!" The fox rolled her eyes.

"How observant," She said sarcastically. "Haven't you ever seen a summon before?" As she talked, Naruto caught glimpses of her rows of sharp teeth, and he found himself feeling uncomfortable. He briefly looked over the small kit before him. Now that it had been mentioned, the fox did look like a summon; rather than just a solid orange, she had strange markings on her face. The markings, Naruto noticed, were unlike any that he had seen, a sure sign the fox was not a normal kit.

"Y-You're a summon…?" The fox let out an obnoxious hiss. "Of course I'm a summon, dim-wit. We're in the world of _summons_." Surprised, Naruto looked around the forest again. The world of summons? It was a lot different than he had ever imagined it might be. The kit's complaining brought Naruto back from his thoughts.

"Ch… And you're not even going to be courteous enough to ask me my name? Honestly now, you may look like him, and you may share the same scent, but you're definitely too incompetent." The kit cocked her head to the side. "In fact, I'd say you're almost exactly like him, except for intelligence. Although, I doubt you're as cunning as him…"

"Who?" Naruto cut in, irritated that the summon seemed to have forgotten that he was within earshot. The tip of the kit's tail twitched irritably.

"Never you mind. Since you were too rude to ask, I'll tell you my name. It's Sune. What should I call you, gaki? Kyu-"

"His name is Naruto. Don't _ever_ call him that." Naruto wheeled around as the low growl rumbled from somewhere behind him. A large fox stepped out of the shadows, his red eyes narrowed with anger. Sune cowered under his scowl, and bowed her head slightly in respect.

"I'm sorry…" She trailed off, averting her eyes from the great fox that towered over her. The fox did not respond, merely skulked out from behind Naruto.

"Let's go back to your litter." As the fox walked over to Sune, grabbing her in his mouth by the gruff of her neck, Naruto noticed how enormous the male was. He was almost the size of a wolf, his paws larger than Naruto's outstretched hand.

The large fox glanced once in Naruto's direction, his crimson eyes briefly meeting Naruto's, before turning, his tails drooping behind him.

_Tails?!_ Naruto looked back at the fox in horror. Was this the infamous nine-tailed demon?! Naruto tried counting the tails: one… two… three… four…six… no wait, or was it five?

It didn't matter, though. Quickly, Naruto picked up the nearest weapon- a rock, and chucked it as hard as he could at the large fox. The rock managed to hit the animal in the head, making a hollow thunk as it came in contact with the skull.

Kyuubi felt a small twinge in his eye as he turned to see the small child standing in a ready position, another rock in his small hand. Sune began to snicker, but stopped abruptly as she felt Kyuubi's grip tighten on her gruff.

"Whmmf fe hemmf domf you fink your doingmf?" Naruto, unable to understand, gave the fox a quizzical look. Kyuubi released Sune, instructing her to stay put, and asked his question again. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

"Don't try to pretend that you're not that horrid demon Kyuupi!" Sune instantly burst out giggling. "Kyuupi? You've got to be kidding me!" The older fox sighed, and shook his head.

"Ok, I won't deny it." Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but shut it as he registered what the fox had said.

"However, I promise I won't hurt you. In fact, I'll take you back to your world, Naruto."

"Hey, wait a minute! How do you know my name?!" Kyuubi cursed under his breath- he didn't want to tell the kid the truth, but he hadn't thought of what to say if he had asked. "Did Jiraiya send you, or something?" Instantly, Kyuubi jumped on the idea, relieved that he wouldn't have to explain himself.

"Yes, and he said you're in tons of trouble. Now, come with me, and I'll take you to Gamabunta. He'll know how to get you back to where you belong." Naruto sighed, speaking with a slight whine. "But I'm too _tired_ to walk," Kyuubi heaved a great sigh, and turned to the kit. "I suppose that you'll follow if I don't carry you?" The young fox nodded, and repressing an irritated growl, Kyuubi grabbed Naruto by the collar of his black shirt, ignoring Naruto's loud protests.

"Let me go, you flea-ridden furball!"

* * *

Jiraiya felt unnaturally jumpy, knowing that his death would soon arrive at his inn room door. As soon as Tsunade found out Naruto was missing, he would be doomed to a slow and painful death. Unless, of course, he could think of an excuse to save himself.

Pacing the room, he felt panic surge through his blood. He glanced at the clock. Half an hour, even a little less, to locate and drag the brat back. A job, Jiraiya knew, that would require a lot more time that he had to spare.

He had to think of something- and fast. He had already taken inventory of all his scrolls, knowing that the one Naruto had used would have disappeared upon being used. However, his search had given no results, because, as Jiraiya was not the most organized, he had found a little over 15 scrolls were missing.

To make matters worse, the scrolls that were missing ranged from scrolls that transformed the users into animals to scrolls that transported them to other worlds.

Jiraiya leaned back in his chair, the headache from his hangover had subsided, but the pain had been replaced by fear. Every one of his fatherly instincts screamed at him to get help, but he was too cowardly to face Tsunade's wrath.

As he pondered these thoughts, he was suddenly struck by an idea. An idea that had the slightest chance of saving his ass. Quickly, Jiraiya bit his thumb and called upon one of his summons: Gama-chan.

"Hey, Jiraiya-sama! You want me to entertain Naruto again?" Jiraiya glanced at the clock. Ten minutes left. Frantically, the toad-summoner briefly summed up Naruto's disappearance, and explained his plan.

When Jiraiya finished, Gama-chan looked thoughtfully up at him. "So, you want me to pretend I'm Naruto?" Jiraiya nodded, casting another quick look at the clock. Seven minutes left. "And I'd be best for this because I spend so much time with him, and know him so well…?" Again, Jiraiya nodded.

"I'll do anything in return if you do this favor for me." Another glance at the clock; five minutes left. Gama-chan sighed. "I dunno, Jiraiya-sama... I'm kinda wary about this..." Seeing the frantic expression on Jiraiya's face, Gama-chan nodded. "Fine, I'll do it. But if Tsunade finds out, I was forced into doing it." Jiraiya smiled with relief. "Thanks, I owe you one. Now, let's see what I can do… we only have a minute to spare. And you know Tsunade-san. Always on time, always arriving on the exact stroke of the clock."

Tsunade knocked on the door, just as the minute hand struck two o'clock. The door opened to a smiling Jiraiya, his eye twitching slightly. The man looked almost manic- dark shadows encircled his eyes, and as mentioned earlier, his eye was twitching. His smile was obviously forced, as his lip, too, was twitching. Overall, he seemed ready to jump off a cliff.

"What's happened to you," Tsunade laughed at her friend's disheveled appearance. "You look just about as sickly as that mouse Manda upchucked when he got that flu."

Tsunade was referring to one period of time in which Manda, the massive summon snake, had fallen ill with a flu, back when Orochimaru still lived in Konoha. The mouse he had eaten had not sat well in his stomach, and after a few hours of attempts at digestion, the snake had merely given up, and gotten rid of the food the easiest way he could- from the way it had come. The three of them had been assigned to cleaning up the mess, as it was a rodent of unnatural size, big enough to satisfy the large snake, and many villagers were complaining about the rancid smell. And so, they had spent hours cleaning up one of the largest hairballs in history, as it was no longer recognizable as a rodent. Needless to say, both Tsunade and Jiraiya would never forget that horrible job, and both agreed it was one of the most disgusting and sickening things either of them had ever seen in their entire lives.

Jiraiya did not laugh, or smile, he merely let Tsunade in, offering her a seat that she gratefully took.

"So, where is the little brat?" Tsunade inquired, glancing around the room, looking for any sign of the young boy. Jiraiya's face seemed to blanch as she mentioned Naruto, and suspicion was beginning to pull at Tsunade. "Are you alright? You're acting as though you're hiding something," Tsunade laughed. "Almost like you lost Naruto, or something!"

"I didn't lose Naruto!" Jiraiya leapt to his feet before he could stop himself. Tsunade cocked an eyebrow; Jiraiya was acting as though he had gone over the deep end.

"What about me?" Tsunade smiled, and turned to look at Naruto, who was leaning in the doorway. Instantly, her smile dropped to a frown, and she felt a slight twinge of her lip.

Tsunade just sat and stared. Warts covered his face, and his skin had a tint of orange. His eyes were far apart, almost like a toad's, and he seemed almost cross-eyed. The boy walked over to her, smiling. "What's wrong, Tsunade-sama?" Tsunade tried to stammer out something, but her words were lost as she stared at the boy. Even his voice was different.

Finally, Tsunade managed to speak. "I…. N-Naruto… what's wrong with your voice?" The strange boy mustered up a fake cough. "Well, you see… I've come down with this cold…" A fly buzzing madly around his head momentarily distracted the boy, but he continued, mostly I mumbles. "It's been a pain," His eyes were fixed on the fly, tracking its every movement. "I've lost my voice… and…" Naruto licked his lips as the fly landed on the window. Jiraiya paled, seeing the greedy look the boy was giving the fly. He tried to stop it, but it happened too quickly. Toads seem to be quite fast when it comes to food.

Naruto's tongue shot out of his mouth snatching the bug in an instant. Tsunade screamed, leaping to her feet, and pointed an accusing finger at the satisfied imposter, who was now swallowing the bug he had just captured.

"YOU'RE NOT NARUTO! YOU'RE A TOAD!" Gama-chan sighed, and returned to his normal toad form. "Sorry, Jiraiya-sama, but the fly was too tempting." And, without a goodbye or farewell, Gama-chan, guiltily smiling, disappeared in a puff of smoke, fleeing Tsunade's wrath.

And that's when Tsunade's shock was replaced with rage. The last thing Jiraiya could remember was Tsunade's strong arm swinging at him, full-force, while she screamed some incoherent threat.

* * *

_**Haha... this was fun to write! I hope you all enjoy it! Ahaha, and the whole 'Kyuupi' idea was not mine... All credit goes to AnimeOtaku! :3**_

**This was fun just to read xD Poor Kyuubi, being called Kyuupi. And Jiraiya- though you would've thought he was smarter then to try and hide the fact that Naruto was gone.**


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